The Book of Household Management Part 63

SHRIMP SAUCE, for Various Kinds of Fish.

522. INGREDIENTS.--1/3 pint of melted b.u.t.ter (No. 376), 1/4 pint of picked shrimps, cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Make the melted b.u.t.ter very smoothly by recipe No. 376, sh.e.l.l the shrimps (sufficient to make 1/4 pint when picked), and put them into the b.u.t.ter; season with cayenne, and let the sauce just simmer, but do not allow it to boil. When liked, a teaspoonful of anchovy sauce may be added.

_Time_.--1 minute to simmer. _Average cost_, 6d.

_Sufficient_ for 3 or 4 persons.

SPINACH GREEN FOR COLOURING VARIOUS DISHES.

523. INGREDIENTS.--2 handfuls of spinach.

_Mode_.--Pick and wash the spinach free from dirt, and pound the leaves in a mortar to extract the juice; then press it through a hair sieve, and put the juice into a small stewpan or jar. Place this in a bain marie, or saucepan of boiling water, and let it set. Watch it closely, as it should not boil; and, as soon as it is done, lay it in a sieve, so that all the water may drain from it, and the green will then be ready for colouring. If made according to this recipe, the spinach-green will be found far superior to that boiled in the ordinary way.

HOT SPICE, a Delicious Adjunct to Chops, Steaks, Gravies, &c.

524. INGREDIENTS.--3 drachms each of ginger, black pepper, and cinnamon, 7 cloves, 1/2 oz. mace, 1/4 oz. of cayenne, 1 oz. grated nutmeg, 1-1/2 oz. white pepper.

_Mode_.--Pound the ingredients, and mix them thoroughly together, taking care that everything is well blended. Put the spice in a very dry gla.s.s bottle for use. The quant.i.ty of cayenne may be increased, should the above not be enough to suit the palate.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CINNAMON.]

CINNAMON.--The cinnamon-tree (_Laurus Cinnamomum_) is a valuable and beautiful species of the laurel family, and grows to the height of 20 or 30 feet. The trunk is short and straight, with wide-spreading branches, and it has a smooth ash-like bark. The leaves are upon short stalks, and are of an oval shape, and 3 to 5 inches long. The flowers are in panicles, with six small petals, and the fruit is about the size of an olive, soft, insipid, and of a deep blue. This incloses a nut, the kernel of which germinates soon after it falls. The wood of the tree is white and not very solid, and its root is thick and branching, exuding a great quant.i.ty of camphor. The inner bark of the tree forms the cinnamon of commerce. Ceylon was thought to be its native island; but it has been found in Malabar, Cochin-China, Sumatra, and the Eastern Islands; also in the Brazils, the Mauritius, Jamaica, and other tropical localities.

BROWN ROUX, a French Thickening for Gravies and Sauces.

525. INGREDIENTS.--6 oz. of b.u.t.ter, 9 oz. of flour.

_Mode_.--Melt the b.u.t.ter in a stewpan over a slow fire, and dredge in, very gradually, the flour; stir it till of a light-brown colour--to obtain this do it very slowly, otherwise the flour will burn and impart a bitter taste to the sauce it is mixed with. Pour it in a jar, and keep it for use: it will remain good some time.

_Time_.--About 1/2 hour. _Average cost_, 7d.

WHITE ROUX, for thickening White Sauces.

526. Allow the same proportions of b.u.t.ter and flour as in the preceding recipe, and proceed in the same manner as for brown roux, but do not keep it on the fire too long, and take care not to let it colour. This is used for thickening white sauce. Pour it into a jar to use when wanted.

_Time_.--1/4 hour. _Average cost_, 7d.

_Sufficient_,--A dessertspoonful will thicken a pint of gravy.

_Note_.--Besides the above, sauces may be thickened with potato flour, ground rice, baked flour, arrowroot, &c.: the latter will be found far preferable to the ordinary flour for white sauces. A slice of bread, toasted and added to gravies, answers the two purposes of thickening and colouring them.

SPANISH ONIONS--PICKLED.

527. INGREDIENTS.--Onions, vinegar; salt and cayenne to taste.

_Mode_.--Cut the onions in thin slices; put a layer of them in the bottom of a jar; sprinkle with salt and cayenne; then add another layer of onions, and season as before. Proceeding in this manner till the jar is full, pour in sufficient vinegar to cover the whole, and the pickle will be fit for use in a month.

_Seasonable_.--May be had in England from September to February.

STORE SAUCE, or CHEROKEE.

528. INGREDIENTS.--1/2 oz. of cayenne pepper, 5 cloves of garlic, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy, 1 tablespoonful of walnut ketchup, 1 pint of vinegar.

_Mode_.--Boil all the ingredients _gently_ for about 1/2 hour; strain the liquor, and bottle off for use.

_Time_.--1/2 hour.

_Seasonable_.--This sauce can be made at any time.

TOMATO SAUCE--HOT, to serve with Cutlets, Roast Meats, &c.

529. INGREDIENTS.--6 tomatoes, 2 shalots, 1 clove, 1 blade of mace, salt and cayenne to taste, 1/4 pint of gravy, No. 436, or stock No. 104.

_Mode_.--Cut the tomatoes in two, and squeeze the juice and seeds out; put them in a stewpan with all the ingredients, and let them simmer _gently_ until the tomatoes are tender enough to pulp; rub the whole through a sieve, boil it for a few minutes, and serve. The shalots and spices may be omitted when their flavour is objected to.

_Time_.--1 hour, or rather more, to simmer the tomatoes.

_Average cost_, for this quant.i.ty, 1s.

_In full season_ in September and October.

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE TOMATO.]

TOMATO, OR LOVE-APPLE.--The plant which bears this fruit is a native of South America, and takes its name from a Portuguese word. The tomato fruit is about the size of a small potato, and is chiefly used in soups, sauces, and gravies. It is sometimes served to table roasted or boiled, and when green, makes a good ketchup or pickle. In its unripe state, it is esteemed as excellent sauce for roast goose or pork, and when quite ripe, a good store sauce may be prepared from it.

TOMATO SAUCE FOR KEEPING (Excellent).

I.

530. INGREDIENTS.--To every quart of tomato-pulp allow 1 pint of cayenne vinegar (No. 386), 3/4 oz. of shalots, 3/4 oz. of garlic, peeled and cut in slices; salt to taste. To every six quarts of liquor, 1 pint of soy, 1 pint of anchovy sauce.

_Mode_.--Gather the tomatoes quite ripe; bake them in a slow oven till tender; rub them through a sieve, and to every quart of pulp add cayenne vinegar, shalots, garlic, and salt, in the above proportion; boil the whole together till the garlic and shalots are quite soft; then rub it through a sieve, put it again into a saucepan, and, to every six quarts of the liquor, add 1 pint of soy and the same quant.i.ty of anchovy sauce, and boil altogether for about 20 minutes; bottle off for use, and carefully seal or rosin the corks. This will keep good for 2 or 3 years, but will be fit for use in a week. A useful and less expensive sauce may be made by omitting the anchovy and soy.

_Time_.--Altogether 1 hour.

_Seasonable_.--Make this from the middle of September to the end of October.

II.